When Shirley was in her mid-20s she and some friends road-tripped to Las Vegas on a lark. That was the first time she gambled. Around a decade later, while working as an attorney on the East Coast, she would occasionally sojourn in Atlantic City. By her late 40s, however, she was skipping work four times a week to visit newly opened casinos in Connecticut. She played blackjack almost exclusively, often risking thousands of dollars each round—then scrounging under her car seat for 35 cents to pay the toll on the way home. Ultimately, Shirley bet every dime she earned and maxed out multiple credit cards. 888 poker usa review. 'I wanted to gamble all the time,' she says. 'I loved it—I loved that high I felt.'
In 2001 the law intervened. Shirley was convicted of stealing a great deal of money from her clients and spent two years in prison. Along the way she started attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings, seeing a therapist and remaking her life. 'I realized I had become addicted,' she says. 'It took me a long time to say I was an addict, but I was, just like any other.'
Before we conclude this article, we should point that these cognitive biases aren't the only aspects of psychology that can affect you when betting on football. There's also a whole range of emotions that can cause you to think or act in ways that hinder your ability to achieve your goals.
Ten years ago the idea that someone could become addicted to a habit like gambling the way a person gets hooked on a drug was controversial. Back then, Shirley's counselors never told her she was an addict; she decided that for herself. Now researchers agree that in some cases gambling is a true addiction.
The APA based its decision on numerous recent studies in psychology, neuroscience and genetics demonstrating that gambling and drug addiction are far more similar than previously realized. Gambling addiction is a serious issue and affects many individuals. Alexander Pushkin uses his story to bring awareness to the negative outcomes that may result from engaging in this dangerous play. This is something that is still very relevant to today's society as well. Cavanna, Andrea E. Psychology of Gambling: New Research.
In the past, the psychiatric community generally regarded pathological gambling as more of a compulsion than an addiction—a behavior primarily motivated by the need to relieve anxiety rather than a craving for intense pleasure. In the 1980s, while updating the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the American Psychiatric Association (APA) officially classified pathological gambling as an impulse-control disorder—a fuzzy label for a group of somewhat related illnesses that, at the time, included kleptomania, pyromania and trichotillomania (hairpulling). In what has come to be regarded as a landmark decision, the association moved pathological gambling to the addictions chapter in the manual's latest edition, the DSM-5, published this past May. The decision, which followed 15 years of deliberation, reflects a new understanding of the biology underlying addiction and has already changed the way psychiatrists help people who cannot stop gambling.
More effective treatment is increasingly necessary because gambling is more acceptable and accessible than ever before. Four in five Americans say they have gambled at least once in their lives. With the exception of Hawaii and Utah, every state in the country offers some form of legalized gambling. And today you do not even need to leave your house to gamble—all you need is an Internet connection or a phone. Various surveys have determined that around two million people in the U.S. are addicted to gambling, and for as many as 20 million citizens the habit seriously interferes with work and social life.
Two of a Kind
Psychology Of Gambling Online
The APA based its decision on numerous recent studies in psychology, neuroscience and genetics demonstrating that gambling and drug addiction are far more similar than previously realized. Research in the past two decades has dramatically improved neuroscientists' working model of how the brain changes as an addiction develops. In the middle of our cranium, a series of circuits known as the reward system links various scattered brain regions involved in memory, movement, pleasure and motivation. When we engage in an activity that keeps us alive or helps us pass on our genes, neurons in the reward system squirt out a chemical messenger called dopamine, giving us a little wave of satisfaction and encouraging us to make a habit of enjoying hearty meals and romps in the sack. When stimulated by amphetamine, cocaine or other addictive drugs, the reward system disperses up to 10 times more dopamine than usual.
Continuous use of such drugs robs them of their power to induce euphoria. Addictive substances keep the brain so awash in dopamine that it eventually adapts by producing less of the molecule and becoming less responsive to its effects. As a consequence, addicts build up a tolerance to a drug, needing larger and larger amounts to get high. In severe addiction, people also go through withdrawal—they feel physically ill, cannot sleep and shake uncontrollably—if their brain is deprived of a dopamine-stimulating substance for too long. At the same time, neural pathways connecting the reward circuit to the prefrontal cortex weaken. Resting just above and behind the eyes, the prefrontal cortex helps people tame impulses. In other words, the more an addict uses a drug, the harder it becomes to stop.
Research to date shows that pathological gamblers and drug addicts share many of the same genetic predispositions for impulsivity and reward seeking. Just as substance addicts require increasingly strong hits to get high, compulsive gamblers pursue ever riskier ventures. Likewise, both drug addicts and problem gamblers endure symptoms of withdrawal when separated from the chemical or thrill they desire. And a few studies suggest that some people are especially vulnerable to both drug addiction and compulsive gambling because their reward circuitry is inherently underactive—which may partially explain why they seek big thrills in the first place.
Even more compelling, neuroscientists have learned that drugs and gambling alter many of the same brain circuits in similar ways. These insights come from studies of blood flow and electrical activity in people's brains as they complete various tasks on computers that either mimic casino games or test their impulse control. In some experiments, virtual cards selected from different decks earn or lose a player money; other tasks challenge someone to respond quickly to certain images that flash on a screen but not to react to others.
A 2005 German study using such a card game suggests problem gamblers—like drug addicts—have lost sensitivity to their high: when winning, subjects had lower than typical electrical activity in a key region of the brain's reward system. In a 2003 study at Yale University and a 2012 study at the University of Amsterdam, pathological gamblers taking tests that measured their impulsivity had unusually low levels of electrical activity in prefrontal brain regions that help people assess risks and suppress instincts. Drug addicts also often have a listless prefrontal cortex.
Further evidence that gambling and drugs change the brain in similar ways surfaced in an unexpected group of people: those with the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson's disease. Characterized by muscle stiffness and tremors, Parkinson's is caused by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in a section of the midbrain. Over the decades researchers noticed that a remarkably high number of Parkinson's patients—between 2 and 7 percent—are compulsive gamblers. Treatment for one disorder most likely contributes to another. To ease symptoms of Parkinson's, some patients take levodopa and other drugs that increase dopamine levels. Researchers think that in some cases the resulting chemical influx modifies the brain in a way that makes risks and rewards—say, those in a game of poker—more appealing and rash decisions more difficult to resist.
A new understanding of compulsive gambling has also helped scientists redefine addiction itself. Whereas experts used to think of addiction as dependency on a chemical, they now define it as repeatedly pursuing a rewarding experience despite serious repercussions. That experience could be the high of cocaine or heroin or the thrill of doubling one's money at the casino. 'The past idea was that you need to ingest a drug that changes neurochemistry in the brain to get addicted, but we now know that just about anything we do alters the brain,' says Timothy Fong, a psychiatrist and addiction expert at the University of California, Los Angeles. 'It makes sense that some highly rewarding behaviors, like gambling, can cause dramatic [physical] changes, too.'
Gaming the System
Redefining compulsive gambling as an addiction is not mere semantics: therapists have already found that pathological gamblers respond much better to medication and therapy typically used for addictions rather than strategies for taming compulsions such as trichotillomania. For reasons that remain unclear, certain antidepressants alleviate the symptoms of some impulse-control disorders; they have never worked as well for pathological gambling, however. Medications used to treat substance addictions have proved much more effective. Opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone, indirectly inhibit brain cells from producing dopamine, thereby reducing cravings.
Dozens of studies confirm that another effective treatment for addiction is cognitive-behavior therapy, which teaches people to resist unwanted thoughts and habits. Gambling addicts may, for example, learn to confront irrational beliefs, namely the notion that a string of losses or a near miss—such as two out of three cherries on a slot machine—signals an imminent win.
Unfortunately, researchers estimate that more than 80 percent of gambling addicts never seek treatment in the first place. And of those who do, up to 75 percent return to the gaming halls, making prevention all the more important. Around the U.S.—particularly in California—casinos are taking gambling addiction seriously. Marc Lefkowitz of the California Council on Problem Gambling regularly trains casino managers and employees to keep an eye out for worrisome trends, such as customers who spend increasing amounts of time and money gambling. He urges casinos to give gamblers the option to voluntarily ban themselves and to prominently display brochures about Gamblers Anonymous and other treatment options near ATM machines and pay phones. A gambling addict may be a huge source of revenue for a casino at first, but many end up owing massive debts they cannot pay.
Shirley, now 60, currently works as a peer counselor in a treatment program for gambling addicts. 'I'm not against gambling,' she says. 'For most people it's expensive entertainment. But for some people it's a dangerous product. I want people to understand that you really can get addicted. I'd like to see every casino out there take responsibility.'
Of all the recreational activities that humans participate in regularly, gambling falls into a unique category. It's risky, addictive, and exciting, but for the vast majority of gamblers, it's rarely profitable. So how has it become a multibillion-dollar industry?
The answer comes down to, as it often does, our psychological tendencies. In fact, the human brain hasn't changed much over the past two thousand, and gambling is proof of that idea.
In this article, I'll get into 4 interesting psychological concepts that can be observed when looking at gambling, and why our brains can't get enough of the thrill.
1 – Risk Taking
To revisit the question posed in the opening section, why do so many people gamble even though they know they're likely to be unsuccessful and ultimately lose money? The answer isn't necessarily as simple as would be preferable, but rather involves several different factors. Most notably, risk-tendencies and reward delays.
First, it should be noted that often times these traits aren't learned or developed – they're simply inherent. It's hard to accurately say how much of an individual's inclination to gamble comes from birth, but most experts agree that it's significant.
Another interesting aspect of risk-taking involves understanding the factors that can lead someone to be more willing to take risks. For example, scientists have discovered that simply being in a good mood can push many individuals toward more risky behavior. Even something as simple as being in the midst of several consecutive days of nice weather, or enjoying a favorite sports team's win, have been proven to increase risk-taking.
2 – The Illusion of Control
When you go to the casino you might not have control over the results, but you obviously have some control over your plays, right? The psychology of gambling is such that we interpret the situation as having some type of control, even though this might not really be true.
For Example:Think of the roulette wheel and the option players have to choose either red or black. You have the choice, so it feels like you have some control. Unfortunately, that really isn't the case.
Regardless of whether you choose red or black, your chances of winning are going to be the exact same. A similar sentiment could be said about the option to raise or lower your bets based on how things are going. Yes, you can make these decisions, but they don't necessarily lead to any additional success.
An interesting way to look at the illusion of control is to pose the question: even if you have control, why would anyone think that should lead to more success? The answer to this is simply, overconfidence. Most people believe that they have the knowledge and ability to be successful if given the opportunity. History would suggest that isn't even close to being true.
3 – Near Misses
The concept of the 'near miss' is a major factor in keeping gamblers around long after they should have walked away. This aspect of our psychology can be traced directly back to a point in the evolutionary process where it would have been very valuable to regard near misses with some optimism.
If you were living thousands of years ago, there's a good chance you would have to hunt for your food. In that context, a near miss might mean you got close enough to take a good shot, but your arrow sailed slightly over the head of your intended target. Perhaps you even hit it, but it got away.
In the scenario above, your brain would tell you that,
'You're this close to bringing home a big meal – you almost had it. It's definitely worth pursuing the objective further, because you've proven that you can do it.'
Thus, you keep chasing down your prey, and with enough effort and luck, you'll be eating good that night.
Now, as crazy as it sounds, your brain uses the same philosophy when you're at the slot machine as it would have in an ancient hunting situation. Unfortunately, the evolutionary benefit does not cross over to the casino.
When you're playing a slot machine, the game is programmed to give you as many near-misses as possible. Why? Because it's a psychological trick that makes you think you're *this* close to hitting the jackpot.
Whereas in the context of hunting a near miss truly does indicate that you're getting close to accomplishing your goal, the same cannot be said for the slot machine. In fact, you're no closer to hitting the jackpot after a near miss than you would be if you had no matching icons at all.
The reality of the 'all or nothing' nature of gambling is difficult to grasp for most players. Regardless of how close you are to hitting that jackpot, blackjack, or crazy roulette bet, you don't get anything for a near miss – not even the encouragement that you're close to accomplishing your goal.
The bottom line is that the old axiom of, 'Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades,' seems to apply to gambling.
4 – The Gambler's Fallacy
It's impossible to write an article about the psychology of gambling and not mention one of the most famous logical fallacies in existence – the Gambler's Fallacy.
Psychology Of Gambling Addiction
To put it as succinctly as possible, the Gambler's Fallacy is the false belief that past trials have some type of impact on future trials. If that doesn't clarify the concept, here's an example:
Say you have a coin, and your goal is to predict whether it will come up heads or tails if you flip it. You're instructed to repeat the exercise 10 times consecutively. If the first three come up as heads, there's a good chance that you'll lean heavily toward choosing tails on the fourth toss.
Because you know that the chance of the coin coming up heads or tails is 50/50, it seems like after three times coming up tails, the coin is statistically 'due' to be heads the next time around. Unfortunately, that isn't really the case.
You could flip said coin 100 times, 1,000 times, or 1,000,000 times, and the chance that it will come up heads is always going to be 50/50. Even if you've flipped 99 straight 'tails,' the chance that the hundredth flip will be tails is still only 50/50.
Now I'll put the idea in the context of gambling. Roulette is where I most often see the Gambler's Fallacy appear, so I'll use that one as the example.
The answer comes down to, as it often does, our psychological tendencies. In fact, the human brain hasn't changed much over the past two thousand, and gambling is proof of that idea.
In this article, I'll get into 4 interesting psychological concepts that can be observed when looking at gambling, and why our brains can't get enough of the thrill.
1 – Risk Taking
To revisit the question posed in the opening section, why do so many people gamble even though they know they're likely to be unsuccessful and ultimately lose money? The answer isn't necessarily as simple as would be preferable, but rather involves several different factors. Most notably, risk-tendencies and reward delays.
First, it should be noted that often times these traits aren't learned or developed – they're simply inherent. It's hard to accurately say how much of an individual's inclination to gamble comes from birth, but most experts agree that it's significant.
Another interesting aspect of risk-taking involves understanding the factors that can lead someone to be more willing to take risks. For example, scientists have discovered that simply being in a good mood can push many individuals toward more risky behavior. Even something as simple as being in the midst of several consecutive days of nice weather, or enjoying a favorite sports team's win, have been proven to increase risk-taking.
2 – The Illusion of Control
When you go to the casino you might not have control over the results, but you obviously have some control over your plays, right? The psychology of gambling is such that we interpret the situation as having some type of control, even though this might not really be true.
For Example:Think of the roulette wheel and the option players have to choose either red or black. You have the choice, so it feels like you have some control. Unfortunately, that really isn't the case.
Regardless of whether you choose red or black, your chances of winning are going to be the exact same. A similar sentiment could be said about the option to raise or lower your bets based on how things are going. Yes, you can make these decisions, but they don't necessarily lead to any additional success.
An interesting way to look at the illusion of control is to pose the question: even if you have control, why would anyone think that should lead to more success? The answer to this is simply, overconfidence. Most people believe that they have the knowledge and ability to be successful if given the opportunity. History would suggest that isn't even close to being true.
3 – Near Misses
The concept of the 'near miss' is a major factor in keeping gamblers around long after they should have walked away. This aspect of our psychology can be traced directly back to a point in the evolutionary process where it would have been very valuable to regard near misses with some optimism.
If you were living thousands of years ago, there's a good chance you would have to hunt for your food. In that context, a near miss might mean you got close enough to take a good shot, but your arrow sailed slightly over the head of your intended target. Perhaps you even hit it, but it got away.
In the scenario above, your brain would tell you that,
'You're this close to bringing home a big meal – you almost had it. It's definitely worth pursuing the objective further, because you've proven that you can do it.'
Thus, you keep chasing down your prey, and with enough effort and luck, you'll be eating good that night.
Now, as crazy as it sounds, your brain uses the same philosophy when you're at the slot machine as it would have in an ancient hunting situation. Unfortunately, the evolutionary benefit does not cross over to the casino.
When you're playing a slot machine, the game is programmed to give you as many near-misses as possible. Why? Because it's a psychological trick that makes you think you're *this* close to hitting the jackpot.
Whereas in the context of hunting a near miss truly does indicate that you're getting close to accomplishing your goal, the same cannot be said for the slot machine. In fact, you're no closer to hitting the jackpot after a near miss than you would be if you had no matching icons at all.
The reality of the 'all or nothing' nature of gambling is difficult to grasp for most players. Regardless of how close you are to hitting that jackpot, blackjack, or crazy roulette bet, you don't get anything for a near miss – not even the encouragement that you're close to accomplishing your goal.
The bottom line is that the old axiom of, 'Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades,' seems to apply to gambling.
4 – The Gambler's Fallacy
It's impossible to write an article about the psychology of gambling and not mention one of the most famous logical fallacies in existence – the Gambler's Fallacy.
Psychology Of Gambling Addiction
To put it as succinctly as possible, the Gambler's Fallacy is the false belief that past trials have some type of impact on future trials. If that doesn't clarify the concept, here's an example:
Say you have a coin, and your goal is to predict whether it will come up heads or tails if you flip it. You're instructed to repeat the exercise 10 times consecutively. If the first three come up as heads, there's a good chance that you'll lean heavily toward choosing tails on the fourth toss.
Because you know that the chance of the coin coming up heads or tails is 50/50, it seems like after three times coming up tails, the coin is statistically 'due' to be heads the next time around. Unfortunately, that isn't really the case.
You could flip said coin 100 times, 1,000 times, or 1,000,000 times, and the chance that it will come up heads is always going to be 50/50. Even if you've flipped 99 straight 'tails,' the chance that the hundredth flip will be tails is still only 50/50.
Now I'll put the idea in the context of gambling. Roulette is where I most often see the Gambler's Fallacy appear, so I'll use that one as the example.
If you're playing real money roulette and simply playing your money on red or black, you might start to take notice of when the same color comes up several times in a row. You might even move your money back and forth based on what sequence has come up recently. If there have been four 'blacks' in a row, there's a good chance you're going to switch over your money to 'red' – it's only logical, right?
It does make sense on the surface – red and black should, statistically, show up roughly 50% of the time each (I understand it's not exactly 50%, but for the sake of the exercise it's close enough). However, if you think about it on a deeper level, it's easy to see where that thought process falls apart.
The bottom line is that it's necessary to recognize that each trial (coin flip, roulette spin, etc.) exists independently of any prior trial. The idea that the end result will be 50/50 requires infinite spins, flips, etc. to be reliable.
The last coin flip has no impact on the next one, the last roulette spin result has no impact on the next one. This information doesn't necessarily help you make better decisions, but it should prevent you from putting all your money on red simply because it's landed on black five times previously.
Conclusion
Gambling is a fascinating concept when looked at through the eyes of psychology. Make no mistake about it – the casino is well-versed in all of the ideas explained in this article, and they use them to manipulate your decision making.
This knowledge might not make you more successful, but it can help put the entire thing in context. Also, it's a not-so-subtle reminder that above all, plain old dumb luck, is what will most likely determine whether your win or lose money.
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